- - -dunmunro wrote:Of course, but all the externally visible armour on Bismarck was just about as likely to have been penetrated by the RN 14in as the 16in. Some accounts have all the penetrating hits ascribed to the 16in and all the non penetrating hits ascribed to the 14in - this just an indication of bias on the part of the writer and/or observers.Byron Angel wrote:Keep in mind that the citadel vertical protection scheme of the BISMARCK Class also incorporated a substantial internal glacis behind the belt (110mm Wh @ 22deg from horizontal, according to N Okun) to protect the vitals from low angle fire. Nathan's opinion is that no contemporary AP projectile was likely to pass intact through both belt and glacis.
FWIW.
B
Unfortunately, my reference library is packed up for an imminent house move, so I offer up the following from memory.
At any range materially inside 15,000 yards the caliber of the striking projectile, whether 14in or 15in, was probably moot; either was technically capable of getting through 12-13in vertical armor. Adding further "texture" to the topic is a Naval Review article ("End of an Era"), published shortly after the war, that discusses the AP projectile situation at the start of tWW2. The author alleged that real penetration problems were discovered in connection with the service 15in AP, such that the AP of the then new 14in gun was outperforming it. The author described the problems as akin in nature to those encountered early in WW1 and, just as the WW1 problems inspired the Greenboy development program, the WW2 problem - after several years of fruitless bureaucratic infighting with the manufacturers - resulted in the Cardonald program whereby the service developed its own AP projectile design and then erected a factory at Cardonald Scotland to manufacture it. IIRC, one of the early editions of PiNG made oblique reference to the situation.
FWIW,
Byron